Heiress vs Head
by hinatasashybamf
Summary: In an AU where the Uchiha are still a noble clan in Konoha, the Hyuga's clan elder has planned a rebellion against the village. Hinata overhears and tries to find a way to keep her family together and a part of Konoha.
1. Chapter 1

Hinata stood frozen in the hallway and listened silently through the wall, her father and her grandfather speaking in hushed tones in her parents' room. She wondered where her mother was. Hanabi was in her room, asleep. It was late and she herself had been unable to sleep. She wasn't supposed to be hearing this. Her breathe caught in her throat as she listened intently. She was almost afraid the painful pounding of her heart could be heard through the wall.

"Lord Elder," Hinata heard her father whisper. "I understand that you are unhappy with our clan's situation, but what has Konoha ever done to us?"

"Hiashi, I'm disappointed in you," the elder snapped. "As my son I expected more insight. The higher ups are fearful of us and always have been. Ever since Hizashi's death they've been weary of the rigid structure of our clan. Organization can be fatal when overlooked and they know this. Konoha is making itself our enemy and we deserve to be in a position of status. Our clan is noble and everyone is tired of being discarded for the Uchihas. You know this."

Hinata heard her father take in a long breathe and then hold it before speaking, sounding weary and cautious. "Then… what are we going to do?"  
Hinata swallowed the painful lump forming in her throat. Never had she heard her father sound so lost, so inferior. She knew that her grandfather was an intimidating man, but this was different. This was frightening.

"We are going to make Konoha our own. I refuse to be oppressed like this."

"Father, that's-!"

Hinata turned and darted down the hallway, her head pulsing. She heard her father's bedroom door slide open just as she ducked down in the corner of the room next door, hiding in the shadows.

"Who's there?" Her father called.

She shivered. She heard a slight tap on the window above her and moved to peek outside discreetly, breath fogging up the glass while she squinted through the darkness. "N-neji-nii-san?" She stood on her knees and pushed the window open. "W-what are you doing outside?" she whispered.

"Hinata-sama," her older cousin said quietly, rising on his toes to look over her and into the room. "I was coming home late from a mission and planned on stopping in to see Uncle. The front door is locked, and I saw you crawling around. What are you doing?"

She glanced over her shoulder and watched the shadow creep closer on the wall opposite of the room she was hiding in, fluttering around the corner. She sucked in a sharp breath and scrambled to her feet, taking a quick dive into Neji and collapsing into the bushes with him. He grunted beneath her, flailing at her sudden jump. She sat up and clamped her hand over his mouth. "Ssh!" She pleaded. "S-something's going on and I th-think it's really bad." She heard her father shuffling into the room and stiffened, huddling back down in the underbrush and lying as still as possible.

Neji squeezed his eyes shut against the twigs that were poking him in the face, scowling at his cousin's antics but sighing in resignation, silently listening to his uncle call for her from inside. He watched the leaves as Hiashi stuck his head out the window in confusion and then retreated back inside, closing the window behind him. Hinata sat up again, hair sticking up in all directions, the ponytail she often wore to bed hanging lopsided on her head. He stared up at her blankly, face relaying just how unimpressed he really was. "What are you doing?" he asked flatly.

Hinata heaved a huge sigh and got to her feet, straightening out her nightgown and dusting off the clumps of dark soil that clung to her. She held her hand out to him, offering him help standing up. "C-can we go somewhere else to talk about it?"

Neji took her hand and pulled himself to his feet, patting himself off. "Like _inside?_"

"No, not inside!" Hinata wrung her hands anxiously and looked around the yard. "W-we can't stay here."

"Why not?" Neji looked around in confusion. "What's going on? Surely it can't be so serious that we cannot find haven in our own home."

"It is that serious, Neji-nii-san!" Hinata hissed pleadingly. She grabbed his hand and tugged on him. "P-please just follow me! If it's not that serious, then we can just come back, right?"

Neji frowned. He supposed she was right. The compound wasn't going anywhere, even if Hinata _was _acting delusional. "Fine," he conceded, letting her pull him away. "But then where are we going?"

"Somewhere where no one will find us," she whispered over her shoulder, tugging him toward the compound gates and into the street. She couldn't risk having anyone else hearing about this. At least not yet. This was something that she needed to think about first and discuss with Neji. Her clan was her responsibility after all.

She looked around frantically as they walked, Neji somewhat slow and irritated during the entire trip. She pulled him toward the village gates.

"We're not leaving Konoha to have a talk, Hinata-sama," Neji tugged his hand lose and crossed his arms, frowning at her, feet planted firmly where he stood. "Now tell me what's going on."

Hinata turned and watched him, chewing at her lower lip. Panic started to swell in her chest. She looked around cautiously, trying to ensure that no one would overhear them. Granted it was around two in the morning, but one could never be too careful. She took a step toward him, cold toes curling into the dirt beneath her feet. "I-I could sleep... s-so I was sort of wandering around the house after using the restroom not too long ago...," a crisp breeze blew through and she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. "I o-overheard father and grandfather t-talking." She gulped loudly.

Neji arched an eyebrow, arms falling from their rigid position and hanging limply at his sides. "Talking about what?" he pressed.

She glanced down at her feet and then looked back up at him again. "G-grandfather is unhappy with the village. H-he thinks we are being oppressed and w-wants our position acknowledged over the Uchihas."

Neji rolled his eyes and shifted his weight to one hip. "Grandfather is unhappy with everyone about everything. It's not that big a deal."

Hinata shook her head fervently. "N-neji-nii-san, y-you aren't understanding!" She looked at him sharply. "H-he's planning a rebellion, or at l-least something like it. Our entire clan is g-going to be forced out of Konoha if they do this! We have to do something!" Her teeth chattered loudly.

Neji blinked at her, mouth hanging open. He shook his head. "Uncle wouldn't let that happen, though, right? He's sacrificed a lot to maintain our clan's prosperity in Konoha. H-he wouldn't-"

"I know, but-" She interrupted him, mouth stretching into a shape that showed just how much inner turmoil she was trying to hold back. "H-he was there. I heard him. H-he didn't like it, but he was going to do it." She put her shoulders back, attempting to stand a little taller. "And I intend to stop it. Th-this is our clan. This is _my _clan. N-neji-nii-san, it's our duty to keep everyone safe. We need to think of something together, right?" She froze, waiting for his response.

Neji looked conflicted, eyes flickering over her face. His brow furrowed. "Hinata-sama, we need more to go off of, don't we? W-we can't just... well we can't just go against everyone who's raised us... everything we know. Do you have any idea where we're even going to start doing something like this?"

She watched him silently, lips clamped together in a white line. She needed him. She needed her guardian, her wise counselor, her older brother, and her childhood companion. She couldn't do it without him. She knew that, but she also knew that he wouldn't let her go alone. Neji worried about her too much. She was sure that he'd follow her, at least to make sure she was safe. She couldn't leave him there by himself. She knew he was strong, and she knew that if anything happened she wouldn't be able to protect him or help him. The least she could do was lure him away.

"I can," she said firmly, doing her best to cease the wavering of her voice. "I can go against my clan, if it means protecting my village... and-and you." She turned on her heel and marched toward the village gates. She needed some time to think. She needed time to plan. She had no idea what she was going to do, but she had to do it.

Neji watched Hinata's retreating back, mouth hanging open in surprise. That had no been what he was expecting. Meek and feeble Hinata turning her back to him. He supposed he should have been prepared for it to happen. It was bound to happen sometime anyway. She had grown into a capable young woman. Still... watching her turn from him was somewhat painful. It was as if she didn't need him anymore.

"W-wait," Neji called, hesitating for a moment. He heaved a sigh and stared at her silently while he watched her turn around. She looked sad and tired. He couldn't just let her walk away like that by herself. And damn it he knew that she knew it. "I'm coming too, Hinata-sama," he said, jogging after her. He saw the relief in her face and mentally kicked himself, her words haunting him. Their family was planning a coup. That seemed to be the gist of it.

Hinata waited for him to catch up and then continued to proceed silently, exiting the gates and walking aimlessly through the trees in the dark. "Where are we going?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she said quietly. "Just someplace where no one will find us. That's all we need right now. Th-then when we get there w-we can plan what to do..., right?" she cast an uncertain glance at him.

Neji heaved another sigh. Even though she was in charge, she still asked him for confirmation. "I suppose so," he answered softly.

Hinata bit deeper into her lower lip and tried to force away the sting that threatening tears brought to her eyes. "W-we can go t-to that cabin where we spent the n-night on training trips when we were younger," she offered, stopping and looking toward the familiar path that veered deeper into the darkness of the trees.

Neji looked toward the path and then back to her, looking over her uncertain features. He gently took her elbow and tugged her forward. "Alright," he said kindly. "Let's do that. Then we'll get some rest and try to figure this out, alright?"

She looked up at him and then nodded shortly, leading the way through the trees and finding the small rundown cabin at the end of the trail. It hadn't been lived in for years, and it had a leaky roof that no one ever got around to repairing. Not to mention the dust that had no doubt accumulated. She approached the door timidly and fiddled with the latch-lock for a moment before leaning into the heavy door and pressing it open. A blast of warm air hitting her in the face. She coughed, stepping inside, the dust on the floor sticking to her dew drenched feet. "It's... r-really humid in here," she whispered, the quiet atmosphere evoking the need to speak secretively.

"It's a good place to be for now." Neji stepped past her and shut the door behind them, locking it again. "We need to be quiet, so no one suspects that we're in here. We don't know how many shinobi come by here and it's not as if this place is unknown. Many people know about it." He wandered into the next room and pulled open the door to the overly neglected linen closet. "There are still blankets in here." He tugged one free and shook it out, a thin cloud of dust erupting into powder into the air. He looked over the cot and the empty space on the floor beside it. "Hinata-sama, please take the cot."

Hinata followed him and watched him unfold the thin blankets. "W-what about you? Where will you sleep?" she asked, leaning into the door frame.

He looked to her and then glanced at the floor. "Beside you," he answered plainly.

She frowned and looked over the thin narrow cot in the corner of the room. "A-are there enough blankets to cushion you on the floor?"

Neji furrowed his eyebrows and laid a hand on her head. "Hinata-sama, I'll be fine." He held a blanket out to her. "Now please. Get some rest."

She took the blanket hesitantly and then shuffled toward the cot, sitting down slowly, listening to it squeak in strain. She pulled the blanket around her and plopped over, feet curled into her, watching Neji lay down a few more blankets and then get comfortable on top of them.

After a moment of silence, she spoke up. "N-neji-nii-san," she called quietly.

"Yes, Hinata-sama?"

"Y-you don't think this is that serious, do you?" she asked, voice trembling.

After a long pause Neji shifted where he lay. "If I am honest, then no. I do not think this is serious. You have a tendency to be over emotional about things and have a history of making incompetent decisions."

Hinata curled further into herself, a pang of hurt hitting her heart.

"However," He continued. "I know that you are loyal to our clan. You take your responsibility seriously and you would never threaten to go against your father unless you believed that it was something you needed to do. So here I am, to help you get through whatever is it you're going through."

"I'm not-" she stopped. "N-nevermind." As long as he was with her, then it was okay. She'd figure everything else out herself if she had to, but if he was safe then she felt more at ease. "S-so... when we wake up... Y-you'll help me figure out what to do? I d-don't want our clan to fall apart...b-but I feel like that's what it's doing."

Neji listened silently, a dull sadness gradually enveloping him. He was afraid. Afraid that she was wrong and something had finally sent her to the brink. Afraid that she was right and their family was doomed to be a clan of traitorous outcasts. "Yes, Hinata-sama," he promised. "I'll help you figure out what to do. We'll figured it out together."

Hinata slid her hand out from beneath the blankets and reached for him. He hooked his forefinger through her pinkie and offered a reassuring smile. "It'll be okay. Just wait and see."

* * *

Hiashi turned away from the window and moved to return to his father who awaited him for further discussion, but a small sound caught his attention and he paused, listening intently. He held his breath, trying to hear what sounded like whispers. He looked back toward the window and peered through it, noticing a lingering cloud of condensation that had started fading away. It looked as if someone had been breathing there.

He caught something off in the distance and his eyes widened at the two familiar silhouettes retreating into the dark. _No_. It couldn't be.

He turned and made his way frantically down the hall, throwing open Hinata's bedroom door. His heart nearly stopped, looking over his daughter's empty bed. She had heard. _She had heard. _She had heard and he knew what she was planning on doing. He knew that she would do everything she could to stop it. If he was honest with himself, he wished that he had it in him to defy his father, but he knew that a majority of the clan felt the same way the elder did. As clan head he needed to keep as much of their family together as possible. Right?

But he had already lost his daughter. His nephew. He would get them back.

He moved into his room, his father looking up at him and meeting his serious gaze with his own. "Hinata and Neji know."


	2. Chapter 2

Hinata awoke to a rumbling and shot out from beneath her covers in a panic. She looked toward the empty spot on the ground and felt her heart drop into her stomach. "N-neji-nii-san?" she called, not waiting to hear an answer before throwing her feet over the side of the cot and running into the next room. She paused in the doorway, watching him peer out the dusty window in the corner. Relief flooded through her. "W-what are you doing?" she asked.

Neji held up a single finger, continuing to stare out the window, his posture cautious. "Sshh, Hinata-sama," he said lowly. "I think," he whispered, turning toward her slowly. "I think we've been discovered."

The color drained from her face. "W-what?" she said, nearly inaudibly. She tugged at the sides of her nightgown, a slow breath escaping her. Be calm. That was all she needed to do. Simply remain calm. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. "W-who?"

Neji stepped slowly away from the window and came near her, taking her hands in his. "I'm fairly certain it's Uncle." He watched her eyes widen in panic and held his hand up to still her. "Now just listen to me. I really think that we should talk to him about this. We both left in the dead of night and we've been gone for hours. It would make sense that he would send someone to come find us."

"B-but he didn't send someone to find us, he came to look for us himself! D-doesn't that tell you anything?" She put a hand over her chest, struggling to breath calmly. She looked around. "W-we have to leave! We can't let him find us. H-he'll make us go back!"

"Hinata-sama, would you listen to me?" Neji took her by her shoulders and held her firmly. "This is madness. He's the clan head. Your father is reasonable. He wouldn't-" he licked his lips, sighing. "He wouldn't do something like this!"

Hinata frowned, eyes growing serious and clear. "Grandfather would," she said, lifting her chin. "And if there is _anyone _more hardheaded and authoritative than my father than it's him. If there's anyone that can bend my father, it is _that _man." She tugged free of his hold. "If he finds us in here then he'll take us back to the compound and then-"

An abrupt heavy knocking sounded from the locked door, the wood shaking and dust flying everywhere from the impact. "Hinata, Neji, I know you're in there," came Hiashi's voice. "Listen to me, I know what you overheard, Hinata, and I've come to talk to you about it."

Hinata turned and fled toward the back room, ignoring Neji's pleading look. Neji threw his hands up and looked between his cousin and the quivering door, eyes wide and incredulous. Hinata flailed her hands, shaking her head fervently. Neji clenched his teeth and made a quiet sound of frustration. He didn't know what to do! He loved his cousin, but his duty was to her father.

"Hinata-sama," he stressed. "I _have _to." The Hyuga was a clan of duty. It had been engraved in him.

Hinata held her breath, sweat beading at her temples while she watched Neji move toward the door. She looked around, panicking, spotting an old metal lantern lying the corner of the room. She sent Neji one last glance before scooping it up and hurling it at the already cracked window. At the sound, the door flew open, Neji stepping to the side for the Clan Head.

"Hinata!" Hiashi's voice boomed when he burst into the cabin, steps loud and heavy.

She bounded out the window, bare feet landing in a sheet of fragmented glass. She winced, shaking them off and darting down the hill through the trees.

"Hinata-sama!" Neji called after her, startled when Hiashi suddenly tugged him up by the collar of his shirt. He stared up at his uncle, eyes huge. Fear pulsed through him for a moment.

"Bring her back to me!" the older man roared. "Do not let her speak to anyone!" Hiashi let him go and left moved in a frantic hurry to leave.

Neji stared after him, breathing heavily, confused, his mind stuck in a whirl. This didn't seem like his calm and rigid uncle. This didn't seem like his kind and loyal cousin. He moved and looked through the broken window, watching Hinata stumble down the hill in a frenzy. He turned and left the cabin, moving around the back and running after her. He leaped into a tree and made his way toward her through the canopy, quickly dropping off in front of her. He cringed when she let out a terrified scream, watching her attempt to maneuver around him. "Hinata-sama, please-" he reached for her and paused, looking down at her bare feet, bleeding cuts decorating them past her ankles. He frowned, eyes darkening, reaching for her before she had a chance to get away and scooping her up. "You're coming with me."

"No!" she squirmed, kicking and twisting in his grip. "Neji-nii-san, please! Please don't take me to him," she cried, trying to push herself away out of his grip.

He turned his face away from her flailing hands. "Hinata-sama, calm down, I'm not taking you anywhere!" He gave her a brief shake and looked down at her sternly.

She coiled into herself, looking up at him. "Y-you're not?"

"No," he said dully, setting her on a nearby mound. "Now let me see your feet."

Hinata pulled her nightgown over her toes. "Th-they're not that-" she caught his glare and let go of the hem of her nightdress. "O-okay," she murmured, extending her legs for him.

He lifted a foot and examined it closely, pulling a few shards of glass from the padding of her heel. After a moment he shook his head violently, dropping her foot and straightening suddenly. "You're so reckless!" he erupted.

She flinched, lowering her head and hiding behind her bangs. "I'm s-s-sorry," she whispered.

"Did you think about any of this before just running off and dragging me into it?"

She wrung her hands in her laps. "I'm s-sorry-"

"We could have done this reasonably! You could have pretended you didn't hear anything and came to me later!"

She pulled her knees closer to her. "I'm s-s-sorry-"

"Stop apologizing!" he snapped.

She flinched, slumping over and staring into her lap, eyes burning. "I'm sorry," she whispered under her breath, tears pooling at the rims of her eyes.

Neji watched her recoil further into herself and propped his fists on his hips, letting out a ragged breath. A dull ache had begun to pound in his temples and behind his eyes. "Okay," he started, trying to calm his breathing. "H-here's what we're going to do. Are you ready?"

She looked back up at him, eyes red. She sniffed and nodded.

He crouched down and faced her at her level. "I'm going to take you to Lady Tsunade. We're going to get your injuries worked on. Do not talk about what's going on, alright? You simply had an accident in the kitchen this morning and we had trouble getting you to her. That's the extent of our story. Do not tell anyone you see what's going on. We don't want to cause a panic."

She nodded again, chewing on her lower lip. She knew he was logical. Everything he did had a purpose, and that purpose was always for her well-being. "O-okay," she agreed, heart pounding with trepidation.

Neji watched her face intently for a minute and then closed his eyes, trying to block out the chaos. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you, Hinata-sama," he said softly. "But after seeing Uncle with my own eyes I am convinced. Please know that I am here for you. I will not doubt you again. After we treat your feet we're going to have to think this through _very _thoroughly. But right now, let's just think about one thing at a time." He straightened. "Alright. Come here," he lowered himself toward her and held out his arms.

Her face went pink and she put her arms on his shoulders, letting him hoist her up carefully. She looked at her cut up feet and sighed. "I'm sorry I wasn't careful," she said quietly.

"You're forgiven," he muttered, leaping into a nearby tree and darting back toward the village. "Just be more careful from now on. This is serious and we can't afford any reckless behavior or mistakes."

She squinted her eyes against the wind and peered toward the village as it drew nearer. Neji stopped in front of the Hokage residence and carried her inside. Shizune caught sight of them before they made their way up the stairs and called after them. "W-wait! Neji, Hinata, Lady Tsunade is in a meeting right now. Is it an emergency- Oh my!" Shizune jumped back when Neji turned toward her, Hinata's feet coming into view. Shizune looked over the two, Hinata's nightgown rumpled and dirt stained. "What on earth happened?"

"Ah...," Hinata looked up at Neji, mind suddenly going blank.

Neji rolled his eyes. "She broke some glass in the kitchen this morning and we had some problems getting over here. When is Lady Tsunade available?"

"She won't be for a while. I can help you though. Bring her over here," Shizune turned and gestured for him to follow.

Hinata pressed her lips together and blinked up at her cousin, waiting to see what they would do. Neji moved after Shizune into a nearby office and set Hinata on the medical table. She lifted her feet for Shizune to examine and winced when the young woman pulled up a chair and tsked at the mess she was overlooking. "Hinata-san, this is horrible. How on earth did you do this in...," she frowned, looking up at them suspiciously. "There's dirt on your feet and on this glass. You didn't do this in a kitchen."

Hinata looked up at Neji again, starting to panic silently. Neji's face was stoic as usual. "So her feet are going to heal nicely?"

Shizune narrowed her eyes and looked back down at her work, working with a piece of cotton soaked in antiseptic and a pair of tweezers. "Yes," she said flatly. "They'll heal fine. She'll probably be able to stand without pain as soon as I'm finished." She slid them another glance. "Look, if you two don't want to tell me what you've gotten yourselves into, that's fine, but you won't last a chance if you go see Tsunade."

"So she's going to be available soon?" Neji dodged.

Shizune frowned and straightened, reaching for a jar of bandages and cleaning off the residual dirt on Hinata's heels. "The meeting will be over in about half an hour. Until then why don't you two stay with me? I feel like you're up to something and it's making me uneasy."

"W-we're not up to anything, Shizune-san," Hinata defended quietly, cheeks going pink. _This lie doesn't count. I'm trying to help people! _Still, she wasn't good at lying. It made her nervous._  
_

Neji clasped his hands behind his back and sighed. "We assure you that all we want to do is talk to Tsunade-sama. It's a confidential matter of great importance." He wasn't sure what he was going to talk to her about yet, but maybe he'd ask a few really vague questions that might help them figure something out later. Of course, he'd have to be careful. Tsunade wasn't just their Hokage. She was an intelligent woman who could punch through walls. It was best to not cross her at all, but he didn't really think he had much of a choice so he would tread lightly.

Hinata watched the exchange with her lips clamped so tightly together that they started to hurt. She was stressed out. She was anxious. Her family could be planning to overthrow every single village elder at that very same point in time and she was sitting here watching her cousin have a stare off with the Hokage's attendant.

"N-neji-nii-san?" she called meekly. "D-do we really have thirty minutes?"

Neji looked down at her and then cast a cautious glance toward Shizune. "We have as long as it takes. We _need _to see Lady Tsunade." He leaned into his last words for emphasis, eyes boring into the woman wrapping Hinata's feet.

Shizune finished up and got to her feet, heaving an exasperated sigh. "Alright fine. You can wait in my office across the hall from her meeting. Do not interrupt and _stay quiet_. I'm not going to put up with you two making trouble." Even though is was strange for the Hyuga kids to be up to anything. It must be serious if they were being so secretive and insistent about it. The Hyuga clan kept to themselves. Having these two in here was a rare sight, and having them act so suspiciously was night on incomprehensible.

She turned and found Hinata a pair of crutches. "Here, Hinata-san. Just in case you aren't up to walking yet." She watched as Neji helped her slide off the table and then waited for Hinata to stable herself. "Alright then, follow me. We'll take the elevator." She opened the door and led them across the lobby. The trip through the elevator and onto the second floor was uneventful. Shizune unlocked her office door and moved aside so they could enter. "Just have a seat. It won't be too long before Tsunade is free. When you see her come out that door," she pointed across the hall. "then go ahead and approach her. Tell her that I let you in. I can't stay up here, I have other things to do." She moved to leave and then stuck her head back into the office for a few last words. "Do _not _touch anything. You got it?" Normally, when dealing with Hinata and Neji, she wouldn't issue such a warning. But something seemed fishy and she wasn't about to let it all explode in her office when she couldn't be there to pick up the pieces.

Neji nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Shizune-san. We'll mind our own business." He and Hinata watched her disappeared down the stairs at the end of the hall and he quickly shut the door as quietly as he could, ducking down so no one could see him through the window. He crouched in front of the filing cabinet and tugged it open, rifling through the folders.

"W-what are you doing?" Hinata asked, leaning awkwardly on her crutches.

"I'm looking for the Uchiha's file. I know that every clan has a report on it. Things are updated regularly and certain incidents are reported. Remember when the village had that scare? The Uchiha's had an internal conflict and were going to bring it to the elders. They were almost deemed a threat, but they managed to worm their way out of it. I want to see what _would've _happened. And then I'm going to look at the Hyuga's file, just to see if we're under suspicion."

Hinata turned and looked out the window, keeping watch. "D-do you think we'd be under suspicion?"

"If I know grandfather at all then I know that he'd be very secretive about his plans. He's probably only told Uncle, which is probably why Uncle made such a commotion when he found out we knew about what was going on. So, it would make sense that the Hyuga has a clean record; however, because we're so tight lipped about the inner workings of our clan then it would make sense for the village heads to keep an eye on us, just to make sure." Neji tugged a file loose and skimmed over it, balancing himself on one knee. His eyes widened over the document. "Hinata-sama, do you know Itachi?"

She nodded. "H-he's Sasuke-san's older brother, r-right?"

"Look," Neji held up the folder. "He has a file in the center of the Uchiha incident. It's been placed somewhere else. We should find it. I think it'd tell us a lot." He moved to find the Hyuga file, tucking the Uchiha folder under his shirt.

"W-where would they keep a file like that?" Hinata asked.

"In the safe above the Hokage's office. Gai-sensei said something about all the explicitly confidential information being there. I have no idea what he was rambling on about when he mentioned it, but I was fortunate to remember that bit of information." He tucked the Hyuga folder under his shirt with the Uchiha folder and pushed the drawer shut quietly. "I don't think we need to talk to Lady Tsunade now. We should leave before Shizune comes back."

Hinata moved toward the door and opened it carefully, peeking down the hall. "No one's around," she whispered.

"Alright then, let's go," He stood and scooped her off her crutches, letting them fall. "quickly," he amended, ignoring her protests. He darted down the hall as nimbly as he could, bounding down the stairs three steps at a time. He scanned the lobby for Shizune and made a quick escape when the coast was clear.

He found a spot near their compound gates that was shrouded by small trees. He set her down in the shade. "Hinata-sama, I'm going to go get both of us a change of clothes. Stay here and stay quiet. I'll get you a pair of shoes so you can get back on your own feet and then we'll go somewhere else to plan what we do next. Okay?"

She leaned against the shaded wall behind her and nodded. "Okay. I'll be careful. You do so as well." She watched him turn away swiftly, trying to calm her worrying nerves. She pulled her knees to herself and sat at still as she could manage, watching people's feet through the bushes as they walked past.


	3. Chapter 3

Hiashi sat at his desk sternly, unable to concentrate on his work. He was usually a calm and collected man, but at the moment his knee wouldn't stop bouncing nervously. His palms were sweating. He was uneasy and didn't know how to handle it. His daughter thought the worst of him. He wasn't sure if Neji was even doing what he had asked. He knew the boy had an unrivaled affection for his cousin, but he still had an unspoken hope that he would remain loyal to the clan head. He hadn't heard from either one of them in a couple hours, and his doubts were swelling.

"Father?" Hanabi poked her head into his office. "Where's Onee-san?"

"Ah," he looked up, rubbing his temples. "She's out with Neji somewhere. They should be back soon."

"With Neji-nii-san?" Hanabi made a face and looked down the hall. "But... I just saw Neji-nii-san. I didn't see her."

Hiashi went rigid in his chair. "Where? Where did you see him?"

Her eyes widened with confusion, sensing the urgency. "H-he was just across the compound. I saw him running into the branch house. He looked like he was in a hurry so I didn't say anything to him."

Hiashi rose from his seat, trying to remain collected. "Hanabi, why don't you go run after Neji. Tell him I need to speak with him, please?"

She blinked at him and then shrugged nonchalantly. "Alright." She turned and meandered leisurely down the hall.

Hiashi stuck his head out the door and watched her leave. "It's urgent, Hanabi!"

"Right!" She said, quickening her pace.

Hiashi moved down the other end of the hall and respectfully entered his father's room. "Lord Elder, I need to speak with you."

"Something else you can't take care of on your own, Hiashi?" The older man looked up from the small table littered with paperwork in the center of the room.

Hiashi rose from his knees and closed the door behind him, taking a seat opposite of the Hyuga Elder, crossing his legs, back straight. "I'm still unsure about Hinata and Neji."

The older man scoffed. "What are you unsure about? They are young and foolish. We will detain them until matters have cleared up and then they will have no quarrel with anyone. Young people are selfish and adaptive. That is the way it has always been."

Hiashi listened carefully, silently chastising himself. He hated himself for being so weak. He was the stern leader of their clan, but here he was bowing humbly before a stubborn old man he had never had the will to defy. He could not even save his daughter.

But at the same time he saw where his father was coming from. He didn't like the oppression and suspicion that their clan had been subjected to any more than the elder did. Still, if they simply remained peaceful, it would get better. Building trust was key. But the older man did not trust the village authorities, and that's what was needed first. To gain trust, one must trust. He had no idea how to go about building it up from the very bottom when their clan elder was a stubborn man set on sole autonomy.

"W-we are a clan," he tried again. "We are a piece of the village. Shouldn't we-"

"We are a proud family who has been degraded and disrespected for far too long!" the older man roared. "I will not have this discussion with you again! Have you sent word of our upcoming meeting yet?"

Hiashi nodded, bowing his head. "Neji isn't bringing Hinata back. If anything they're going to find a way to stop us."

"They are going to _try_. And they are going to fail. I am an old man with far too many battle scars. I will not have two... two _hooligans _mussing up my plans. If we cannot detain them, then they will be disowned. That is all their is to it." He waved a hand at the younger man, looking back down to the document he held in his hand. "Now please, son, I have work to do. I don't need to be worried over trivial matters such as these."

Hiashi frowned severely. "_Trivial? _Father, these are my children we are talking about! These are the heirs to the clan and the prodigy of the Hyuga. They are _your _grandchildren!"

"They are traitors of the clan!" The Elder barked. "We do not need them! Hanabi is perfectly capable of taking both of their places!"

"My children aren't replaceable and they _aren't _disposable! How dare you-"

"How _dare _I?" The older man echoed, his wrinkled jowls shaking with fury. "I am the elder of this clan! We must think of the good of the clan over the existence of the few! I have lived three of your lifetimes, you will not tell me what I _dare _to do!"

Hiashi clenched his fists on his knees and darkened his gaze, jaw set. He rose from where he sat and left abruptly. He moved back toward his office, stopping when Hanabi appeared at the end of the hall.

"I couldn't get him to come. He said he was busy." She watched her father stampede past her and stepped out of the way, eyes growing round. "I-is he in trouble?" she called, not receiving a answer.

Neji was was just bounding around the corner when Hiashi caught sight of him. "Neji!" he called frantically, following after him. He turned the corner and paused, looking down the empty street. He sighed and activated his Byakugan, immediately spotting Hinata hiding in the bushes. He frowned and crouched down to see her. "Hinata, what are you doing in here?" he asked, pressing branches apart to get a solid view of her. "Where is Neji?"

Hinata had thrown her arms over her head defensively but now lowered them and peered up at her father with a worried look. "I c-can't tell you...," she stammered, fear pulsing through her. She watched her father's stern face and waited to be tugged up by her elbows and dragged back to the main house. If she was going to be caught, then she wasn't letting Neji get dragged down with her.

She was surprised when the only thing that happened was Hiashi rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Alright, listen," he started.

Hinata relaxed, frowning a little out of confusion. "Y-y-yes, Father?"

Hiashi watched his older daughter come a little unfurled from her protective ball and his frown deepened. "Lord Elder... you overheard what we were discussing, right?"

The color drained from her face and she backed further into the wall, nodding hesitantly.

"Right. Hinata, I know that you are scared. I know that you and Neji are doing your best to figure out how to stop this. I'm not here to stop you."

"Y-you're not?"

He shook his head. "No. But you have to listen to me. I'm not very happy with the village either. It's not just your grandfather. The majority of the clan feels this way. I am the clan head. My place is at the helm. I cannot leave, and I have to watch Lord Elder. But you two-" he lifted a hand and pointed toward her. "You two have no real responsibility right now. You're young. Right now your only obligation is to learn how to protect and remain loyal to your clan. I understand that that's what you're doing, and I agree with your intentions, but I want you to be careful. If you find yourselves in a dangerous situation that may become irrevocable, then I want you two to remove yourselves entirely. This is not something to play around with. This could lead to a massacre. Protect yourselves. Do not worry about us."

Hinata stared up at him, fear passing over her face, heart pounding in her head. "W-w-what about Hanabi? What will happen to you two if... if we don't... i-if we don't fix this?"

Hiashi set his jaw and ran a hand over his chin. "I'll figure something out," he said in a hushed tone. "Just think about yourselves right now." He got to his feet. "And tell Neji what I said. Stay away from the compound from now on."

She watched him turn to leave but reached up and tugged on his hand. "F-father?"

He looked down at her. "Yes?"

She chewed on her lower lip. "I l-love you."

He gave a pained look and bent one last time to press a kiss to her forehead. "I love you too, Hinata. Stay safe." With that, he was gone, leaving Hinata to wait in the bushes again.

Soon after, Neji dropped down from above, somewhere Hinata wasn't paying attention to. "Hinata-sama, are you okay?"

She nodded, reaching for the hand he offered her and getting to her feet. Neji stooped down to slide a pair of sandals in front of her. "Let's go see if we can stop somewhere and get you cleaned up. We can't have you running around in your nightdress."

Hinata propped her hands on his shoulders and slid her bandaged feet into the sandals. She lowered them carefully and stepped lightly, making sure it didn't hurt to walk.

"Can you stand on your own?" Neji asked, hands out to help her if she needed it.

She nodded, doing a small bounce. "I-I'm okay. Th-thank you." She looked down at the bag in his hands. "D-do you need me to carry anything?"

"No, I can manage. Thank you, though." He placed a hand at the small of her back and guided her out of the bushes. "Okay, we're going to go somewhere private where you can clean up and we can think about this clearly."

"W-where would that be?" she asked, letting him lead her down the road.

"Naruto's apartment," he whispered, just in case someone heard.

She sucked in a quick gasp, air catching in her throat and evolving into a ragged cough. She choke, pausing to calm herself. She sobered a moment later, red in the face. "W-w-why N-naruto's house?" she squeaked.

"It's not out in the open, not many people live there, and even though he's an idiot I trust him to help us and keep quiet about this. It's a private, out of the way place where we can collect ourselves."

"W-we can't just go back t-to the-"

"Hinata-sama, time is of the essence. Why would we go back to the cabin the middle of the woods when Naruto's apartment is here in the village?"

She sighed and pressed her lips together, warmth still violently filling her face. "R-r-right," she conceded quietly, looking up and watching Naruto's apartment building looming ever closer.


	4. Chapter 4

Hinata dragged her feet all the way through the village, silently casting Neji pathetic glances that pleaded they go somewhere else. Anywhere but there. Anywhere but the apartment of the boy she liked. She was in her _nightgown _and she hadn't showered or even brushed her hair since the day before. It was like they were homeless, seeking shelter and eating him food like a couple of moochers.

"S-so... th-there's _nowhere _else we could go?" she asked one more time.

"No, Hinata-sama, not that I know of. It's just Naruto. I don't see what the fuss is about." He cast an irked glance in her direction as they approached the staircase leading toward the second floor of the building where Naruto's apartment sat. He stepped to the side and motioned for her to go up first.

She made an uneasy face and sighed, going up before him, one hand on the stair rail. She moved slowly, despite Neji's prodding for her to hurry. When she was finally planted in front of his door she refused to knock. No. She wouldn't do it. She couldn't stop turning red, her whole body was blushing, she was _not _knocking on this door. There was even a peep hole. If she knocked then Naruto was going to look through that peep hole and she was going to be the first thing he saw, gross and bubble shaped because that's what peep holes did. They made people look gross and bubbled shaped. And she was already gross. She didn't want a stupid peephole to make it worse.

"Hinata-sama, are you going to knock?" Neji asked.

She looked over at him, eyes huge and worried. "N-no. W-w-would you knock please?" She backed away from the door.

Neji gave an exasperated sigh and lifted his fist, rapping his knuckles lightly on the door.

"I'm coming!" came a muffled shout from inside. There was a crash, followed by a series of heavy stomping that got louder and louder until the door flew open. Naruto leaned into the door frame, looking down while he shook his foot, kicking a piece of trash off his shoe. He looked up again, straightening. "Hey, Neji! What're you doin' here?" He looked over and noticed Hinata. "Hinata-chan, hi-" he stopped, straightening and looking over her disheveled appearance. "It everything alright?"

"Naruto, can we come in?" Neji asked.

He nodded fervently, eyes wide. "O-of course!" He stepped to the side. "Come on in. What's wrong?"

Hinata shuffled in after Neji, casting Naruto a nervous glance, face heating up as soon as their eyes met. She'd just let Neji talk. Neji was good at talking.

Her eyes widened while they entered, looking over the mess littering the room. It wasn't safe to live in such a mess. There were ramen cups everywhere. She doubted he was eating properly. She wondered if she should talk to Sakura about it.

"We'd like to know if we can use your restroom," Neji turned and spoke, gesturing toward her. Hinata's face went red again and she ducked behind her bangs, tugging at her nightgown nervously. "And then," Neji continued. "We have some files that we need to go over. Naruto," he said seriously, eyes darkening. "We came here because it was the only place we could speak in private. Please do not tell anyone that we're here. Please do not ask us any questions."

Concern passed over Naruto's face. "W-well, yeah, sure. But are you guys alright?"

"We're fine," Neji said coolly. "Could you please show Hinata-sama to your restroom?"

"Yeah!" Naruto scrambled past them and marched down the hall. "Just stay right there for a second! Let me clean the place up a little."

Neji watched Naruto slam the bathroom door shut behind him and looked toward Hinata. "The oaf has manners," he remarked dryly.

"He's not an oaf," she whispered, brows furrowing.

Neji didn't respond. He handed her the bag hanging from his grip. "Here are your clothes. There's also a change of bandages in there for the injuries on your feet. I'll look over the files and try to think of something while you're getting cleaned up. Let me know if you think of anything."

She took the bag and peered inside of it. "Y-yes, Neji-nii-san."

Naruto burst back into the hall, pointing back into the restroom. "I-I laid a towel out for you. I tried to scrub the shower out a little bit. I only have one bar of soap so I scraped it a little bit..." He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "The hot water is on the left, and you have to fiddle with it a little bit."

Hinata shuffled toward the hall, and Neji prodded her to hurry up. Taking a shower in the bathroom that the boy she liked always took a shower in. She didn't like this. She didn't like it at all. It was verging on inappropriate and horrifically humiliating.

But she still wandered down the hall with her head down. She'd be quick.

Neji tugged the files out from under his shirt and slapped them down on the table in the center of the room, kicking clothes and trash to the side, sitting, and crossing his legs. He flipped open the file on the Uchiha clan and scanned it. He still needed the missing file on Itachi.

He moved for the Hyuga file and flipped it open, looking over the first page. The incident with his father. He knew about that already. He turned the page. A file on the clan elders. The next page was a document about his uncle. The page after that was a file on Hinata, the heiress.

He sighed impatiently and flipped all the way to the back, stopping when one page caught his attention. _Possible Actions Taken in Case of Clan Incited Governmental Agitation. _His heart dropped into his stomach, but he read on. _Clan is being kept under strict surveillance as a result of authoritative suspicion. If any course of action is taken by the Hyuga clan toward Konohagakure the following steps must be implemented immediately: Both the clan head and leader behind rebellious actions must be disposed of, clan heir and/or heiress will be detained and questioned - if he/she is judged untrustworthy to set the clan back to peace then he/she will be deemed a threat to the village and disposed of - , if the whole of the clan cannot be set to peace then it, in its entirety, will be terminated and/or forced out of Konohagakure for the sake of the rest of the village and its citizens. The Hyuga clan will be routinely observed by the ANBU BlackOps and at any sign on incident extreme measures will be taken.__  
_

Neji put a hand over his mouth, suddenly feeling lightheaded. They were being watched. His entire clan. Both he and Hinata. If anything happened and Hinata couldn't promise to fix it she'd be sent away, or worse.

"Neji-nii-san, I'm finished."

He looked up and closed the file quickly at Hinata's quiet voice calling from down the hall. She brushed her hair over her shoulder while she walked, freshly dressed. Her feet were rebandaged, but she was walking fine so he didn't worry much over her injuries.

"Hinata-chan, what happened to your feet?" Naruto asked, sprawled out on his bed lazily.

She looked down at her toes and then over at him, cheeks flushing. "Ah... w-well I...," she looked to her cousin, eyes huge.

"No questions, Naruto," Neji repeated dully.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Right. Right." He yawned and went back to staring at the ceiling pointlessly.

"Hinata-sama," Neji started, getting her attention and motioning her to sit beside him. "We still need this missing file," he opened the Uchiha's file and pointed to the "classified" stamp over Itachi's photograph. "We'll see what the Uchiha may have in common with us. It might help us figure out what to do next. You're father is pretending he doesn't know where we're at right now so we can move around a little more freely. It won't be as hard."

"W-wait you heard what Father said?"

He nodded. "I saw the whole thing. He no doubt knew I was nearby when he spoke to you." He leaned back and closed the files. "Alright, now we have to figure out how to get that file out of the vault."

Hinata's eyes widened. "W-we're sneaking in?" she whispered.

"You two aren't doing anything illegal are you? Neji if you get me in trouble, I'll get you back. I'm already on the ropes here, I don't want to be taken in for harboring a criminal." Naruto sat up and propped himself on his elbows.

"Naruto, since when are you trying to _stay out _of trouble?" Neji asked snidely. "And why on earth would Hinata-sama and I be criminals?"

"I didn't say Hinata-hime. I said you. Always being secretive and acting like you're better than everyone else. What are you up to anyway and why did you drag her into it?"

Hinata set a hand on Neji's arm before he spoke and cast an apologetic look in Naruto's direction. "I'm s-sorry, Naruto-kun, but it's fairly... c-c-complicated."

Naruto frowned for a moment and then shrugged, flopping over on his mattress. "Alright then."

Neji's face was a mask of irritation. "I told you he was an oaf!" he hissed quietly.

"He's not an oaf, Neji-nii-san!" she defended. She tapped the files on the table. "Now what was it you had planned?" she attempted to guide him back to the matter at hand.

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "We'll have to sneak into the Hokage's office tonight," he said lowly. "We don't have the time to wait until later. We find the combination and then move to the vault above it. That file has to be in there somewhere and I think it would aid us greatly."

She fidgeted uncomfortably. "I-I don't like the sound of breaking and entering," she said quietly.

"Hinata-sama," Neji yanked open their clan's file and turned to the page he had just read. He tapped the heading of the document pointedly. "If we don't figure out what to do, _without _causing a widespread panic, our entire clan could very well be slaughtered. They are _watching _us."

Her breath caught in her throat as she leaned to read the document. She heaved a deep sigh through her nostrils, pulse thudding in her head. Her hands shook and she hid them in her lap, giving a silent nod. "Alright," she whispered hoarsely. "I'll do it."

Neji put a hand over hers. "We're going to do this. We're going to be okay."

She didn't answer. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth she'd burst into tears. She looked towards Naruto's back. It looked as if he had fallen asleep. "W-well then," she finally forced out. "I s-supposed we should get some rest so that we can be ready for tonight." She looked around for a place to rest and then resigned herself to folding her arms on the table and laying her head down.

Neji got to his feet and glanced toward Naruto, reaching and ripping the blanket off of him. When Naruto rolled over and started to protest he held a finger to his lips, tucking the blanket around his younger cousin who had already dozed off.


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto woke up to an empty apartment at around two in the morning. He looked around for a few minutes before realizing that the two Hyuga's had left without a sound. He heaved a tired sigh and plopped back onto his bed, falling asleep immediately.

Meanwhile, Hinata was ducking behind Neji while he fiddled with the lock on the backdoor of the Hokage's residence. It was an important building, and it held files and information of great significance. There was no way that simply picking a lock to get inside would be all they had to do, and they both knew that. There'd be alarms and guards. There was even the possibility of waking up Tsunade, which would probably have the worst consequences of any thing else that could possibly go wrong.

Hinata trembled behind her cousin, watching him work the lock with concentration. The door clicked open and she let out a long tension filled breath. They were in. For now.

Neji felt anxious having Hinata stick so close to him, but he had no idea how to tell her to back off. She was scared and most likely riddled with nerves.

He led them through the main lobby quietly, both of their Byakugans activated and searching carefully. "W-why aren't they're any guards?"

"They're probably here, Hinata-sama. Please stay calm. If we are approached and confronted then I'm going to hold them off and let you go forward, do you understand?"

Hinata stopped midstep. "Y-you want me to leave you?" she asked quietly.

"I'll be alright. I'm just a distraction." He had to be careful though. The Anbu BlackOps guarded the Hokage residence, and they were merciless against threats to the village. He couldn't be seen as any real danger, and he had to get Hinata past them quickly. That is, whenever they showed up.

He heard a sound somewhere across the quiet lobby and stiffened, hand going out to stop Hinata. She perked up, listening carefully.

"I think they know we're here," he whispered, scanning the first floor. "Hinata-sama, I need you to run when I-"

A shadow moved over the front desk, shifting quickly across the room. Neji spun around, unable to finish what he was saying. He shoved Hinata behind him and gave her a nudge toward the stairs, thrusting his palms out in front of him and blasted a wave of chakra toward the shadow darting toward him. A masked shinobi skid backwards and quickly regained his stance. This was going to be hard. There was no way He could go up against the Anbu. He just had to hold him off and help Hinata lay low, but that was an entirely different challenge in itself.

Hinata bounded for the stairs, catching a stray guard who had been hiding in the corner before. Fear grasped her heart, but she shook it off, darting up the stairs as fast as she could. They were about to make a lot of noise. And then Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san were both going to wake up and the entire village was going to laugh at them and then they were going to be questioned and things about their clan would be spilled and- No! She had to do this and she had to do this properly!

She tucked her arms into her chest and dove up the last steps of the stairs, rolling when she hit the ground and then getting to her feet. She moved toward the Hokage's office door, stopping short when the Anbu guard slid between her and her goal. Her eyes went round, breath stopping in her throat. She was frozen. She didn't know what to do. There was no way she could get past an Anbu guard. Even the thought of the endeavor was ridiculous.

Downstairs Neji's gentle fist was quickly stopped and detained, his arm twisted behind his back as he was forced to his knees. This was one of the dumbest decisions Neji had ever made, and seeing as he didn't make dumb decisions, he was mentally kicking himself for his lapse in judgement. He was still hoping that he had proven a decent distraction and that Hinata was faring better than he on the next floor.

She wasn't. In fact, she was doing marginally worse. She had moved her stance in preparation to fight, but her first blow was quickly cut off with a quick chop to her shoulder. Her arm hung limp and her formed a white line, lifting her other arm and trying to weave to the side and escape. The Anbu moved with ease and cut her off once more, effortlessly scooping her up and tossing her over his shoulder. She squirmed, watching the Hokage's office grow distant as she was taken back down the stairs.

"Hinata-sama!"

"N-neji-nii-san?" she called, unable to see anything except from the corner of the room she was facing from over the guard's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"What are the the Hyuga heiress and prodigy doing sneaking around the Hokage's estate at this time of night?" The Anbu standing over Neji asked.

Neji's face remained stoic. Neither of them said anything. "Alright," said the one holding Hinata. "We'll take you two to the village elders then. I'm sure Tsunade-sama will be greatly interested in what you have to say."

"We d-d-didn't mean any harm," Hinata defended weakly, voice watery.

"Hinata-sama, don't," Neji scolded. "We must save our explanations for the Hokage. Only she can help us now."

Hinata was on the verge of tears. She'd never been in trouble in her entire life. Not in school, not at home - well almost never at home - and not with the law either. She wondered what was going to happen to them next, Neji being led away and her behind carried off behind them like a sack of flour.


	6. Chapter 6

"N-neji-nii-san," Hinata whispered from her chair, hands folded neatly on the table where the Anbu shinobi guarding the room could see them.

"What is it, Hinata-sama?" Neji answered quietly from the seat beside her, hands mimicking hers, only shaking a great deal less.

"I'm sc-scared. I thought we weren't going to tell Tsunade-sama?"

Neji's gaze flickered to the Anbu in the corner of the room and he heaved a sigh. "Hinata-sama, now is not the time to discuss this."

Hinata slouched in her seat, looking around the blank room. Alright, she knew this wasn't a good time _at all, _but she had no idea what was going on. Up until that point she had only followed Neji's lead. She needed to start thinking too, or else she'd be useless on this entire endeavor. She hated being useless. She refused to be useless.

She clamped her lips together and furrowed her eyebrows. Alright. The best thing they could do at the moment was wait for Tsunade-sama to come speak to them. They had to ask her vague questions and not tip off anyone. That would be hard, because the Anbu shinobi were still hovering around. They had to be extra careful, and the hokage was a quick woman. She knew when she was being trifled with.

She started when the door opened suddenly and Tsunade barged in, heaving a sigh and grabbing the chair across the table from them, sitting down heavily. She leaned forward against the table and folded her fingers in front of her lips. "Alright, kiddos, spill it."

"Tsunade-sama-"

"N-neji-nii-san, c-can I speak?" Hinata interrupted quietly.

Neji looked over his cousin with surprise, and also a little unease. He had this planned out. He knew what he needed to say. But Hinata seemed to have an idea too, so he would trust her. "A-alright, Hinata-sama. If you wish." He watched her with anxiety.

She straightened in her seat and exhaled slowly. "Tsunade-sama, what would happen if a clan were to plan a rebellion against the village?"

Neji nearly wet himself, stiffening in his seat and blinking in silent shock.

Tsunade's eyebrows went up in astonishment. "Do you have something to tell me, Hinata?" she asked seriously.

"Tsunade-sama," Hinata continued, clearing her throat for a moment. "I am th-the heiress of my clan, and I'm getting older so I h-have to think about these things for the sake of my family's safety. As of now, there's never been a problem among the Hyuga, but I want to be ready for anything in the f-future." She clenched her fists on the table and sat up straighter. "I asked N-neji-nii-san to help me get more information on clan punishment, but he told me th-that you wouldn't just tell me something like that so we tried to sneak in and look through your files."

Tsunade looked unimpressed and very far from amused. Neji held his breath. "Hinata, what other things are you worried about concerning your future as clan head? Surely, this can't be the only pressing matter." She folded her arms on the table and narrowed her eyes, lips pursed.

Hinata was surprised at how prepared for that question she was, but it did make sense that she was asked. Her alibi would make more sense if this wasn't the only thing she was worried about. She swallowed loudly, mouth dry. "I w-worry about a lot of things. W-what if my clan does not think I'm suitable as their head? W-what if I make mistakes and do something that means dire consequences for the rest of my family? W-what if I die without producing an heir? W-what if can't handle diplomacy or leadership? What if my clan-"

"Alright, Hinata, that's enough," Tsunade held up a hand, eyebrows raising on her forehead, blinking rapidly. She set herself up for that one and she knew it. Heaving a sigh, she held out her hand. "So give them back."

"I'm sorry?" Neji asked, looking back to her from Hinata.

"The files you took from Shizune's office yesterday. I know you were there and I know you didn't leave empty handed. Nice try, newbies."

Neji let out an exhale filled with shame and embarrassment. When his uncle heard about this-

"It's n-not Neji-nii-san's fault, Tsunade-sama. I am the one who asked him to help me. H-he's my companion. He was obligated to say yes." Hinata shifted nervously in her seat.

"Hinata, it's very sweet, and rather gutsy, of you to cover for Neji, but the laws of the village come before the laws of the clan and you know that. You will both be punished. That's the end of it." Tsunade looked back to Neji. "The files?"

His face went pink, reaching under his shirt and sliding the two manila folders across the table.

Tsunade picked up the folders and shuffled through them. An eyebrow quirked. "Uchiha, huh? Why would you want to know about them? They're a fairly quiet bunch."

Neji slid a look to Hinata, wondering if she had an explanation for that one too.

"I j-just wanted to see if there was anything about how they conducted their clan business that I could learn from or compare. The Hyugas don't get along with the Uchihas, but I th-think it's wise to l-learn from one another." Hinata was fairly certain she was sweating terribly. She had never lied this much in her life. She was going to go straight back to Naruto's house after this and cry. She'd go home if she could, but that wasn't an option.

"It would have been _wise _not to sneak into the Hokage's Residence," Tsunade rolled her eyes, slapping the files down on the table. "You two can't be serious. You could've just asked me. Neji, I _know _you're smarter than this." She cast her gaze on him.

He froze. "No, Tsunade-sama, I can't say that I am, as it still happened. Perhaps you are thinking of Shikamaru?" He tightened his hands flat on the table top, jaw clenching. He had to admit. It was a stupid move on his part. Uncharacteristically stupid. Desperately stupid. He mentally kicked himself for it.

"Same goes for you, Hinata. You're a bright and considerate girl. What could possibly drive you to do something so reckless?" The older woman turned her gaze on her.

"Anxiety," she mumbled, half cowering in her seat, gaze turned toward her lap.

Tsunade heaved a sigh. "Right," she bit off. "Well, let's pretend you two _aren't _up to something, and I'll let you off with a warning this time. You're both good kids, so this was unexpected, and any further misconduct will be just as unexpected, you understand me? Now I just need to let Hiashi-san know. This kind of stunt can't go unpunished." She began to rise from her chair.

"P-please, don't tell my father!" Hinata blurted, facing going pale. "I c-can't-" she stopped, unable to finish the sentence.

"Hinata, I'm sorry. When you said you were worried about making a mistake because of the repercussions on your clan? These are the things you need to look out for. Now I have to go make a phone call. You two are welcome to leave, but be prepared for some heavy handed discipline when you both get home." She turned and left, door closing loudly behind her.

The Anbu shinobi in the corner of the room gestured for them to get up and two of them rose from their seats slowly, each exhaling a synchronized sigh.

"I'm s-sorry," Hinata muttered quietly while they left the room and dragged their feet miserably down the hall.

"For what, Hinata-sama?"

"It's all my fault y-you're a part of this..."

"Hinata-sama, it's my clan too. I could not just stand by and-" he stopped when someone passed them in the corridor and lowered his voice. "I couldn't just let it happen and leave you by yourself."

She sniffed, tears threatening. "Are w-we going back to Naruto-kun's house?" she asked softly.

"I don't know of any other place we have to go."


End file.
